Music Interventions in Clinical Care

Music interventions encompass a broad array of techniques—ranging from live music therapy and guided imagery with music to recorded playlists delivered via mobile devices—that serve as non-pharmacological adjuncts in medical settings. By modulating emotional states, distracting from nociceptive signals and engaging regulatory circuits of the autonomic nervous system, these interventions have been applied to manage perioperative anxiety and pain, support critically ill and neonatal patients, and enhance quality of life in palliative and mental health contexts. Their global dissemination reflects a growing emphasis on patient-centred care, cost-effective complementary therapies and the integration of personalised digital health solutions into standard clinical pathways.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated that personalised digital music delivery can shape pain perception by engaging descending inhibitory pathways. One investigation employed smartphone-based protocols to adapt tempo and spectral features to individual preferences, resulting in a marked reduction in analgesic requirements during minor surgical procedures. Another study combined rhythm-based auditory stimulation with real-time physiological monitoring to show that synchronised neural entrainment in patients recovering from myocardial infarction improved heart rate variability and reduced anxiety scores. A third report used functional neuroimaging to reveal that engaging with structured musical rhythms enhances connectivity within cortico-limbic circuits, providing a mechanistic basis for mood stabilisation in intensive care settings.

Music Interventions in Clinical Care publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in music interventions in clinical care across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Randomised Controlled Trial: An experimental design that allocates participants by chance to test interventions, minimising bias.

Heart Rate Variability: A measure of fluctuations in the intervals between heartbeats, reflecting autonomic nervous system balance.

Neural Entrainment: The synchronisation of neural oscillations to external rhythms, enhancing cognitive and emotional regulation.

Perioperative: Relating to the period immediately before, during and after a surgical procedure.

Non-pharmacological Intervention: A therapeutic approach that does not involve medications, often leveraging behavioural or sensory stimuli.

References

1. Technology-Based Music Interventions to Reduce Anxiety and Pain Among Patients Undergoing Surgery or Procedures: Systematic Review of the Literature. JMIR mHealth and uHealth (2024).
2. Effect of a music intervention on anxiety in adult critically ill patients: a multicenter randomized clinical trial. Journal of Intensive Care (2023).
3. Effects of music intervention during caesarean delivery on anxiety and stress of the mother a controlled, randomised study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2018).